


Astraphobia

by lwtbitch



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Smut, M/M, louis's afraid of thunder and harry comforts him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-17 08:10:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3521873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lwtbitch/pseuds/lwtbitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"i'll keep you safe, baby."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Astraphobia

"You're free to leave," my humanities professor told us, packing up his briefcase. "I'll be in my office if anyone has any questions."

A chorus of "goodbyes" sounded through the cement walls, causing a smile to erupt on my professors face. I smiled slightly, happy to see his love for teaching.

I exited the room, looking for my roommate in the hallways. _That's weird_ , I thought to myself. _He's usually here before me._ I shook the thought away, walking towards the steps. I was falling asleep and I really needed a cup of coffee. Preferably Starbucks, but seeing they didn't have one on Man U's campus, I'd gladly settle for campus coffee.

I made my way down the stairs, stopping on the second floor where the lounge area is. After ordering my coffee, I grabbed a seat by the windows to study the Hellenic period of Greek architecture. There was a slight rainfall; water droplets were visible upon the glass, as well as audible against the roof of the building.

I found rain peaceful. I could always fall asleep faster with the _pitter patter_ sound on my window as a child. My roommate and best friend, on the other hand, could not. As a child, he was diagnosed with astraphobia and I felt _awful,_ since it always rained in England. On occasion, there would be thunder and lightening and that's what caused his anxiety. He never understood why he was afraid; he never had time to comprehend the feelings since he felt all walls caving in.

Thunder and lightening was rare for this time of year, so I didn't think too much of my roommate as I opened my textbook to page 42. _Beautiful columns_ , I thought sarcastically to myself.

Being an art history major, I had to take HUM 101, which was, simply, Intro to the Humanities. We had jumped around the textbook, so it was towards the end of the semester and we were just starting architecture, which was at the front of the book.

I took a sip of coffee and heard my name being called. "Harry!"

I looked up and saw my friend, Niall. "Hey, mate!" I smiled, placing the coffee on the arm rest.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you since Christmas holiday!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, Niall," I said sheepishly. "I've been busy with schoolwork and _other_ things."

Niall sat down next to me, winking. "Does she have a name?"

" _He_ does, but I don't think he even fancies me back."

"Who is it?!" Niall grinned.

"You can't laugh though," I warned.

"Never," he dead panned, holding up his pinky to swear.

"It's my roommate," I blushed.

"The bloke with brown hair? What's his name... Louis, right?"

My face turned an even darker shade of pink at the mention of Louis's name. "Yeah... Louis," I smiled stupidly.

"That's adorable. I'm sure he likes you back, though."

"He told me he was gay, so maybe. But he could've been lying. You know I don't trust anyone."

"Harry, you're so stupid. Why would someone _lie_ about their sexuality?"

I mulled over the thought, but couldn't answer Niall's question. "I don't know..."

"Exactly... Where is he, by the way? You're always together after your intro class."

"I'm not sure..." I chewed on my bottom lip and took a peek out of the window towards my dorm building. I didn't see the light on in our room... Maybe Louis had gotten out of class late. "Let me go look by his classroom."

I walked towards his English intro classroom, and passed some people from his class. "Hey, you're Zayn, right?"

"Sure am," the raven-haired lad spoke.

"Was Louis in class?" I asked. "He wears glasses, brown hair, short."

"No, mate, he wasn't. He must've gotten sick or skipped or something."

Louis was fine this morning before I left for my 8 AM class. And he's the not the type of student to skip an English class, considering he was an _English major._

"Thanks," I responded somewhat nervously.

I walked back to the lounge area and sat down, wondering where Louis was as I sipped at my coffee.

"Maybe he's in your room," Niall offered.

"No, he's probably in the library catching up on work."

I went back to reading my textbook when a light flashed from outside and a clap of thunder sounded throughout the building. I immediately knew where Louis was.

"Fuck," I swore, shoving my stuff into my backpack. I had to get to my dorm room as fast as possible or else Louis would black out from an anxiety attack.

I left my coffee on the table, knowing Niall would throw it away. A guy I knew as Liam tried to stop me to talk, but I rudely shoved him out of the way in my attempt to run back to the dorms. I lamely shouted "Sorry!" and continued my sprint out into the pouring rain.

I was soaking as I reached the doors of my dorm building. I swiped my key card to enter and immediately ran towards the lift. I repeatedly pressed the UP button until I got frustrated with the slowness and looked towards the stairs, weighing my options. As soon as I was about to take the stairs, the lift doors opened and I sighed in relief. I pressed 5 and closed the doors, shifting my weight repeatedly from foot to foot until the lift opened onto my floor. I jogged towards my room and swiped my card to enter my suite. I dropped my bags by the door and immediately called out, "Lou?"

I peeked into our bedroom and found a lump under my covers, quickly realising they were my dirty clothes from the floor I quickly shoved onto my bed. I looked into the room that housed our desks, but didn't find him. The only other place he could be - if he was in the dorm - would be in the bathroom. "Louis?" I questioned softly, knocking on the closed, bathroom door.

"Harry?" he yelled back, his voice sounding relieved.

"Lou, the door's locked. Can you open up for me?"

There was a crack of thunder as soon as Louis unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing him curled into the foetal position leaning against the commode. "Harry, hold me," he begged, tears streaking his beautiful face.

I knelt down next to him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He clung onto me for dear life as another clap of thunder sounded.

The lights were off in the bathroom, so I turned them on. "No, turn off the lights!" he shrieked.

"Lou, you won't be able to tell if there's lightning if the lights are on," I explained.

"But I'll be able to hear the thunder," he said, tears welling up in his crystal blue eyes.

"Then I'll sing to you," I blushed, butterflies erupting in my stomach.

"Okay," he smiled, grateful for the distraction.

I started singing Ed Sheeran, his and my favourite artist of the moment. "Kiss me like you wanna be loved," I sang, my cheeks aflame.

"Kiss me like you wanna be loved," Louis joined in, momentarily forgetting about the lightening storm.

A smile erupted across my face as Louis took over the song, his grip on my body never loosening. My smile faded as thunder sounded and Louis became scared again.

"Shh, love, it's okay," I promised, tightening my grip onto his shoulders. "Do you want to go lay down under the covers?"

Louis nodded in response and I lifted him up, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and carried him to my bed. I turned on all of the lights and threw my clothes back onto the floor before climbing into bed with Louis.

I had always imagined this to be different - laying in bed with him for the first time, I mean. If you catch my drift. If not, that's cool. Ask your mum about the birds and the bees.

But Louis faced the wall, curled up into a ball. I forced him to turn over to face me and unball himself. I pushed the hair off his forehead and placed my hand on his cheek. "It'll be okay Louis, I promise."

Because he was smaller than me, he lay his head on my chest and wrapped his arms around my torso. I smiled to myself and held him close, savouring every moment with him. I didn't know if I'd ever be this close to him again.

A comforting silence fell over us, until thunder sounded again and Louis asked to be sung to. I sung through every song that reminded me of him until I had reached Lullaby by Chase Coy. My voice started choking up as I sang the opening verse.

"Why're you comforting me?" Louis questioned after I had finished singing.

"Because you're my best friend. And I know how much you have thunderstorms. I wouldn't want to be by myself if I had astraphobia."

"I really appreciate it," Louis smiled, his hands still shaking as he pulled my cheek toward his lips to gently peck me.

• • •

Even minutes after his lips left my cheek, I could still feel the burning, tingling sensation Louis left against my skin. I had to feel that again. Somehow.

We were still cuddled underneath my covers as the thunder started to subside, although the lightening was still prominent. Even under my black comforter, I could still make out the flash of light coming through the windows. I heard Louis whimper at the sight of the lightening, and without thinking, I pressed a feathery kiss to his forehead and whispered, "I'll keep you safe, baby."

I mentally slapped myself for calling my best friend, who probably doesn't return my feelings, "baby." I squeezed my eyes shut and wished he didn't hear me.

"Okay," he smiled up at me, biting his lip seductively.

_Shit_ , I thought. _He heard me. And now he's biting his lip. He looks like an angel._

His hair was all ruffled from my comforter and I smoothed it down, butterflies erupting in my stomach at the very touch of his hair. He leaned into my hand, his fingertips softly trailing up and down my torso.

"Harry, why are you _really_ comforting me?" Louis asked after some time of cuddling.

"Because I was taught to take care of those I love."

"Love?" Louis asked, an emotion in his voice I didn't understand. It sounded like... hope?

"Yeah. I love you, Lou."

"Like, in love with me?" There was that emotion again. Yeah, it's definitely hope.

My cheeks flushed as I spoke, "Yeah. Louis William Tomlinson, I'm madly in love with you."

A smile erupted across Louis's lips and I couldn't hold one back from my lips either. My gaze faltered to his smile, his eyes following in my pattern. Lightning flashed around us, and just as we were about to kiss, Louis recoiled in fear.

"I'm sorry," he blushed, annoyed with himself for his phobia.

"Lou, it's totally alright," I reassured. "I could never be disappointed in you, love."

"I love you, Harry," Louis spoke with such admiration, my heart skipped a beat.

"And I love you," I smiled, gently bringing my lips to his. My chest filled with ecstasy when our lips met, butterflies erupting in my stomach. Thunder sounded as soon as he parted his lips and he unconsciously retracted. I kissed his forehead as tears slowly rolled down his cheeks.

"Harry, I... I can't breathe," Louis choked out.

"Focus on me," I urged, wishing his anxiety would subside. He closed his eyes and buried his face in my chest, letting his tears fall onto my white teeshirt. I thanked my mum for spending the extra money on a double suite, allowing us the privacy we were indulged in.

I watched as his chest rose and fell against my own breathing, his tears slowly subsiding. I smiled as his head lifted to meet my eyes, his face returning my smile. I brought my lips to his and our tongues danced to inaudible music.

Thunder sounded softly, telling us the storm was slowly leaving us behind; Louis didn't even flinch at the sound, since I was trailing my fingers across the strip of skin revealed between his shirt and jeans. I kissed his lips in reward at his courage. "I'm so proud of you," I spoke, lifting up the covers we lay under.

Louis seductively ran his finger down my chest as leaned to fluff the pillow. "What are you doing?" I asked questioningly, to which Louis winked as he lifted my shirt. "Oh," I smiled as I attached my lips to his.

I slowly took off Louis striped teeshirt, detaching our lips to remove the shirt from his skin. He hastily removed his jeans as I removed mine just as quickly. His lips found my collarbone as I searched my bedside drawer for the lubricant I bought, hoping for his occasion.

"Top or bottom?" I asked, drunk with his kisses on my bare skin.

"Top," he smirked, grabbing the lube from my hands. I spilled my hand in Louis's boxers, teasing him by stroking his cock agonisingly slow.

"Harry," he warned, softly biting the skin below my ear. I gasped, removing his boxers completely to view his hardened dick. I could mentally feel the pleasure he would soon give me, filling me up completely with his length.

I pushed him back against my pillows and immediately dipped my head to gather his cock in my mouth. He sucked in a breath and immediately warned me, "I might not last long."

I removed my mouth from Louis's cock and locked eyes with him. "Then let's get to it," I winked.

I swapped positions with Lou, lying back against my pillows as he straddled me. He grabbed my lubricant and squirted some onto his fingers, taking the time to warm it up.

Once warmed, I repositioned my hips and spread my legs, allowing Louis to insert one finger into my hole. Thunder softly sounded again as he pushed his finger fully into me, pulling it back out to simulate a thrust. My moan somewhat covered up the thunder, but Louis still heard it. He removed his finger from inside of me and bit his lip.

I grabbed the side of his face and brought his lips to mine, momentarily erasing all his fear. "Do you want me to put on music to drown out the thunder?" I asked and he immediately nodded.

I grabbed my phone and pulled up Ed Sheeran, playing Kiss Me as loud as the volume would allow. "I love you," I encouraged, smiling at him.

"And I love you," he smiled back, inserting two fingers into me. A moan escaped my lips as he thrusted two fingers into me repeatedly as he kissed the underside of my shaft softly.

"Louis," I warned, gripping his hair to stop his tongue from doing the magic he learned somewhere - from someone.

I tuned out the image of Louis having sex with someone other than me and focused on the fact that he was here with me, at this moment, thrusting now three fingers into my asshole.

I moaned his name as he removed his fingers, kissing my hipbone as he squeezed lube onto his hand. Before lathering it onto his dick, he kissed my lips and whispered, "I love you."

I wrapped my legs around his hips as he positioned himself above me. He slowly entered me, taking his time to let me readjust to his size. He kissed my temple as I accepted the pain, knowing I'll soon be a withering mess beneath the love of my life.

I nodded, allowing him to go on. He slowly thrusted into me as I moaned his name along with numerous profanities. Sweat started to collect on both of our brows as I pulled him close, wanting the experience to be as intimate as possible. "I love you, fuck. I love you," Louis mumbled between kissed to my collarbone. He kept his thrusts agonisingly slow to torture me. But soon, I felt the tension rise in my lower region and I moaned, "Close."

"Me too," Louis whispered as I spilled onto both our stomachs and Lou spilled into my asshole.

He pulled out and I was overcome with an emptiness I couldn't describe. I smiled up at Lou as he grabbed a tissue to clean us both up.

Once clean, we crawled under the covers and cuddled, whispering those three words over and over. We basked in the glory of our lovemaking, cuddling until we both fell asleep.

Thunder wasn't heard for the rest of the night, but the next day when we woke up, Louis promised that next time there was a thunderstorm, he would think about this night and try his hardest not to be afraid. I'm almost sure I was his cure to his seemingly incurable astraphobia.

 

**Author's Note:**

> this sucks. i'm sorry. the smut is awful. everything is awful. i tried editing it. but it didn't work. oops.


End file.
